How to train chickens to hop up to feed/water platform?

[QChickieMama]

I moved 2 chickens into a chicken tractor a while ago, and I just realized (finally) that they're not eating the layer pellets in the feed slot which is accessible from the ledge. I knew they weren't bothering with the nest box, but they're still fairly young, <1yr old. I guess they've been subsisting on foraging.

So, I've sprinkled chicken scratch on the ledge where they can see it, but they won't hop up. All my other chickens do this with zero hesitation. The ledge is maybe 11-12" high. They're supposed to hop to the roosting post from there, but of course, they're not doing that either.

Now I'm feeding them on the ground so they won't starve/dehydrate.

Will they just one day try it?

 

[donrae]

My thought is always that an animal won't starve or dehydrate when there's feed or water available. I don't show birds where the feed and water is when I move them from one coop to another, I just let them figure it out. I guess my thinking is if the animal is truly too stupid to find food when it's that available it doesn't deserve to live...........

 

[QChickieMama]

My thought is always that an animal won't starve or dehydrate when there's feed or water available. I don't show birds where the feed and water is when I move them from one coop to another, I just let them figure it out. I guess my thinking is if the animal is truly too stupid to find food when it's that available it doesn't deserve to live...........

Ha! Funny. I guess I could try that angle. They can't seem to follow cracked corn as I trickle it out before their eyes. Duh.

 

[donrae]

I know that sounded harsh, but seriously!

Are they laying? If so, and they're still laying, I'd say they're either eating some of the feed or getting what they need form forage. Unless they start looking bad, I'd just let them figure it out. Not like they have anything else to do, work on a novel or whatnot

 

[QChickieMama]

Nope. Not laying. Hatched this past summer. He's crowing; she should be laying.

Seems like she needs to get things started. I put a golf ball in the nest box, but clearly that's not helpful yet if she's not even hopping up there. Bird brains.

 

[Chicka and Co]

You could place them on the ledge every day and they might start to get into a routine and learn.

 

[aart]

I moved 2 chickens into a chicken tractor a while ago, and I just realized (finally) that they're not eating the layer pellets in the feed slot which is accessible from the ledge. I knew they weren't bothering with the nest box, but they're still fairly young, <1yr old. I guess they've been subsisting on foraging.

So, I've sprinkled chicken scratch on the ledge where they can see it, but they won't hop up. All my other chickens do this with zero hesitation. The ledge is maybe 11-12" high. They're supposed to hop to the roosting post from there, but of course, they're not doing that either.

Now I'm feeding them on the ground so they won't starve/dehydrate.

Will they just one day try it?

Are they all the same age....maybe older chickens keeping them away from the ledge?

 

[QChickieMama]

It's just 2 of them, same hatch, one roo & one pullet. Australorps.

Fed them on the ground again this morning. They're ravenous. Ate down 1c. layer pellets in about 10 minutes.

 

[aart]

I'd set them up there a few times.